Looking for a European atmosphere in the tropics? How could that be possible? Well, wonder no more. The island of Curacao is the place you’re looking for. Located in the southwest part of the Caribbean, the Curacao Island is the largest island of the Netherlands Antilles. Just 35 miles north of Venezuela and 42 miles east of Aruba, Curacao Island is 38 miles long and 7.5 miles across. With only two and a half hours from Miami by air, the Curacao Island is just outside the hurricane belt; an ideal place for a holiday destination that you could be sure of a good weather all year round.
Situated within the tropics, 12 north of the Equator, the Curacao island has a warm and very sunny climate all year round. With and average temperature of mid80 F, trade winds regularly flow from the east, and it picks up speed during spring. The rainy season (October to February), is marked by occasional and short showers (occasionally during nighttime with a warm and sunny weather during the day). The total annual rainfall is only 22 inches.
The local population is over 130,000 and is made up of 55 nationalities. Curacao island’s capital city is Willemstad. It is the only city in Netherlands Antilles. Curacao island is one of the five islands that made up of the Netherlands Antilles (the other islands are Bonaire, Saint Martin, Saint Eustatius and Saba). Their official language is Dutch. Most of the population speaks English, Spanish and Papiamento (a combination Dutch, French, Spanish and Portuguese language). Willemstad, Curacao island’s capital is home of the island’s rich culture and history. The capital city has much to offer, from shopping to sightseeing to dining and most especially the festivities. While Willemstad is said to be the island’s cultural center, there are other region of the island that is worth visiting.
Curacao island may be the largest of the Netherlands Antilles, it is still small enough for travelers to venture parts of the islands all through their vacation. Curacao Island has a unique blend of the “Old World” and the “New World”. Its colorful chain of pastel colored buildings has the same ambience in the city of Amsterdam. Legend has it that the first governor of Curacao has an allergy towards the color of white that’s why all the buildings and structures are painted in color. The city of Willemstad is the most photographed cityscapes throughout the Caribbean.
Tourist of Curacao Island has lots and lots of choices if they plan on staying there. If guarantees an unforgettable experience.
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Curacao Island Map
... sites like this especially while you're driving. Visiting Google Earth is highly recommended because it will provide you driving directions. Driving tips, signs and directions can also be found at www.curacao-travelguide.com . So if at one point you find yourself somewhat unsure which road to take, a few clicks will give you the right answer. But if laptop is not an option, internet caf s are available in Curacao as well. Handled by a GSM network, you can actually go online in a caf and let them print out all these in-depth maps as well as the Curacao Island map. Traveling in a foreign place like Curacao can be stressful. What's with the hassles of trying to speak their language or letting them understand yours, getting around the island shouldn't add more trouble. A Curacao Island map...
Curacao Liqueur
Laraha is the cousin of the Valencia orange. When the Spaniards discovered Curacao in 1499, they planned to develop its agriculture. They brought a plant known as the "Valencia" orange all the way from Spain. But due to the island's climate and its soil conditions, the fruit of the Valencia orange from juicy and sweet became bitter, almost inedible. The plan to farm the Valencia oranges was then abandoned and the Valencia oranges grew wild. It was then discovered decades later that if the peels of the Valencia fruit was dried thoroughly in the sun, it would produce oil with a surprising pleasant fragrance. A Curacao Island recipe was then developed by a Jewish family (Senior family) in Curacao. The oil was mixed with various exotic spices. With this came...
Information On Curacao Island
... travel within the city. Expect the drive from the Hato International Airport to the resort and vice versa to be just around 25 minutes. Drive time from resort to Willemstad would be just about 35 minutes. Make sure you have a detailed map of the city. If you opt to take a cab to get around, always ask the driver how much your trip would cost before making the actual trip. Remember though that a 10% tip is a must when taking a cab. Being a tropical place, information on the information on Curacao Island activities are very vague to some would-be guests. While beaches are the main things, Curacao offers a lot more. The nature reserve would serve as sanctuary to some tourists in search of a quiet and relaxing place while getting to know nature better. Art enthusiasts will find a lot of interesting places to be at. And everyone will find the evenings in Curacao as charming. Quaint restaurants...
Maps Of Curacao Island
... can indulge in while on the island are also provided. Famous Curacao tourists' attractions can be seen on a map on this site. Clicking on a particular place will give you a Curacao Island detailed description plus a photo of it. Another site you can visit if you want to see more maps of Curacao Island is www.worldatlas.com . Aside from detailed maps, one can also find an overview of Curacao including its date and time. Most hotel websites also provide driving directions to and from the airport and other places frequently visited. If you have gone over the hotel listings and have come up with a choice, it is best know all these things especially if you are planning to drive around yourself. Make sure that you bring maps of Curacao Island as well. Even if you have been doing research on these famous places even before you got there, you might still find yourself uncertain where to go on some occasion. Part of the nature of...
Island Of Curacao
... of Curacao is oval shaped and is approximately 171 square miles with an arid and savanna like climate. It has an estimated population of 133,644 inhabitants. The island's first inhabitants were the Caiquetios, an Arawa Indian group who first set foot on the island in 600 A.D. The island of Curacao was later discovered by Alonso de Ojeda of Spain in 1499. It was later reclaimed by the Dutch in 1642. The capital city which is Willemstad is one of the largest ports in the world and played an important role in the trading enclaves of America. The island's Curacao Island capital was declared a "World Heritage Site" by the UNESCO in 1997 because of its colorful architecture. Though it is located within the hurricane belt, the island of Curacao seldom...
The Curacao Flag
... be very much alike with the Dutch flag only it has a Coat of Arms in the center (which is not the official coat of arms of Curacao. The coat of arms that is used on this particular flag is a ship. More specifically it is a ship of the Netherlands West India Company. Experts say that this particular flag can't be seen on any flag book, which makes is very doubtful. You can obtain a Curacao flag on the internet. There are lots of variations of the Curacao flag. There's the normal type that is rectangular. There are also lots of items that have an embedded Curacao flag in it. It just shows how patriotic the people of Curacao are. The next time you see a person wearing a shirt with a Curacao flag, you'll know...
Curacao Beaches
... picturesque settings and sparkling clear turquoise waters. Some beaches have a white sandy shoreline that is frequented by romantic couples of all ages. Curacao also has man-made beaches that offers glass-bottom and semi-submersible submarine rides. In some beaches, you have to walk through an adventurous natural trail to get to the beach. As most, Curacao beaches isn't just for swimming or sunbathing. You can snorkel or dive too. There are many diving spots in Curacao that is just a few hundred meters from Curacao Island the shoreline. You don't have to rent a boat just to get a spectacular view of Curacao's underwater marine life. The hotels and resort of the island of Curacao offer full facility of the Curacao beaches they occupy. Palm trees, white sands, along with bars, shops restaurants and facilities for all kinds of water sport. Just ask the hotel for these of amenities. If ever you want to take a vacation in Curacao and go for a swim on the famous Curacao beaches, remember that on weekends many people...
Curacao History
Curacao history are those of Christopher Columbus' famous voyages. It was believed that Alonso de Ojeda, one of his lieutenants, discovered Curacao around 1499. It was also said that Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian, was with Ojeda when he found Curacao. Some stories have it that during the voyage, Vespucci's men suffered from scurvy. Vespucci was said to have left these men on the island, only to find out on his return that they were all well. It was presumed that the fruits on the island were rich in Vitamin C, thus curing the sailors. He was said to have named it Curacao which means "cure" in Portuguese. Being Italian, and Ojeda being a Spaniard, this version is quite absurd but is more famous and more interesting than the others. Some people say though that Curacao's original name which was Curazon, was given by Spaniards to mean "heart". However changes have converted it to the Portuguese form which is Curacao. Anyway, more Curacao Island than a hundred years later, the...
Where Is Curacao
... shopping, rich culture and well-preserved tropical ambiance. This arid island is home to a great number of world-class beaches with long stretches of white sand. The tropical setting with its hilly terrain and undisturbed countryside makes it famous to Curacao Island most tourists. Curacao as part of the Netherlands Antilles has Dutch as its primary form of communication. Papiamento, Curacao's official language - a combination of Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and African languages. English and Spanish are also widely spoken on the island. Curacao's local time is GMT -4, which means it is 4 hours advance than the Pacific Time zone. Its international dialing code is +599. For outgoing calls made from Curacao, the code is 00 followed by the respective country code. Local telephone numbers all start with the number 9. A GSM network is available in Curacao, thus internet access...
Curacao Government
... within the Kingdom of Netherlands. On April 15 of that same year, the Island Council of the Island Territory of Curacao has formally sanctioned the results of the referendum and pointed out its position as an autonomous country that has the same status of Aruba. Even though the Curacao government is not a member of the U.N. the Dutch government is in charge of its defense and foreign affairs. Curacao Island The Curacao government is based on a parliamentary democracy. The parliament is composed of council ministers and a prime minister. The governor general is appointed by the Queen of Netherlands. The governor general is also the crown representative of the Netherlands Antilles. The Curacao government's elected legislative officials assemble regularly to preside over the administration of government. Each of the Netherlands Antilles has its internal affairs ran by the island's council and executive council which is composed of elected island council and a queen appointed governor. The newly elected prime minister of the island is Emily Elhage-Jonge. The...
Where Is Curacao Located
... map? Are you wondering where you should start looking? Curacao is an island in the Southwest of the Caribbean which is approximately 40 miles North of Venezuela. This island is the largest member of the Netherlands Antilles group. Curacao is considered as one of the "ABC" islands, and is located West of Aruba and East of Bonaire. It is approximately forty miles in length and close to a hundred and eighty square miles. Flight from New York City takes about 5 hours and 40 minutes. Miami flights are around 2 hours and 50 minutes. Flights originating in Amsterdam last about 9 hours and 50 minutes. It has an average temperature of 80F or 27C. Rainfall only reaches to 21" during November and December. Sail boats find security in Curacao during the hurricane season as it is not located within the hurricane belt. Its population of about 145,000 uses Dutch as their official language. Curacao's...
Curacao At A Glance
Papiamento (the local language that was derived from the Portuguese, Spanish, and African dialects by the slaves) English and Spanish are widely spoken. Curacao's first inhabitants were the Arawak Amerindians and were later decimated by the Spanish expedition of Alonso de Ojeda in 1499. Rediscovered by the Dutch in 1634 but was ignored by colonist due to lack of resources such as gold which was what most colonists seek. Curacao then proved its worth in commerce and shipping trade. Curacao is famous for its beaches and diving spots. Over 35 beaches with a wide variety, some surrounded by cliffs and rocks others by flora and fauna, they all have the same clear turquoise waters. Because the unusual feature that is locally known as the "blue edge", Curacao's sea floor drops off just a few hundred meters from the shore where one can go diving without a boat. Curacao has a lot of...
Curacao Hotels
... the first Super-Inclusive resort, not only in Curacao, but in the whole Southern Caribbean. This magnificent resort is just 10 miles away from the international airport, flanking the immaculate Undersea National Park and the Sea Aquarium. The resort is complete with amenities and lots of activities Curacao Island to choose from. Curacao Marriot Beach Resort and Emerald Casino Captures the charisma and sun drenched warmth of Curacao's old-Amsterdam. Has a magnificent view of the Piscadera Bay. Only fifteen miles from the Hato International Airport, just a stone's-throw away from the World Trade Center. Has Watersports Center and Casino. Guaranteed to have a fantastic experience on an exotic island. Plaza Hotel Curacao A perfect place to rest after exploring the island. Located at the mouth of the harbor in the center of the vibrant Willemstad. Places of interest and downtown shops are just a stone's-throw away from the hotel. Just a walking distance from the Floating Market and Fort Amsterdam. Avila Beach Hotel At the center of the Avila Beach, one can find a stunning Dutch Colonial...
Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc’s Of The Caribbean
... that there are three dots just off the coast of Venezuela. The three islands, namely Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, share the same culture and influence from Spain, Portugal and West Indies. The official language of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao is Dutch while Papiamento is their local language. The three islands are famous for their beach, diving spots and of course lots and lots of sunshine. Like most of the islands in the Caribbean, the ABC islands have a hot and dry climate. Yet unlike their neighbors, the landscape is arid and flat. Their coastline boasts with white sands, crystal clear waters, and they have an offshore coral reef that is teeming with marine life; making the three islands a haven for divers, water sports enthusiast and tourist who would just love to lay back on the beach. Each island has its own well-funded national park. The best time of the year to go to the Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao is within mid-December to mid-April where the...
Map Of Curacao
... still is useful as to where one can find a place to enjoy because it has a brief description as to what is in the area and what to expect. The most likely you could do is order online. There are a lot of websites that offer maps of Curacao. All have to do is search it on a web based search engine (www.google.com or www.yahoo.com is highly recommended.). When choosing for a map, make sure that it is durable. With the wear and tear, most Curacao Island maps easily deteriorate after a few days of use. Some maps that are for sale on the internet, are glossy or laminated. Be sure that the map you will buy is of high quality. It is very important for...